Portable, hand-held skate blade polishing device and method of polishing a skate blade

ABSTRACT

A device for preparing a skate blade for use polishes a bottom surface of a skate blade to improve the glidability of the skate. The device includes a polishing surface for polishing the skate blade, blade guides having an opening therebetween for supporting the skate blade while the skate blade is being polished by the polishing surface, and a frame for holding the polishing surface and the blade guides. To polish a skate blade, a polishing compound is applied to the polishing surface, the skate blade is placed in the opening of the blade guides such that the bottom surface of the skate blade contacts the polishing surface, and the skate blade is slid against the polishing surface, while applying a downward force to press the skate blade against the polishing surface, until the bottom surface of the skate obtains a desired polished state.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1) Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention pertains to the field of sports equipmentmaintenance, and more particularly, to a device and associated methodfor polishing the blade(s) of a skate, more particularly, an ice skate.

[0003] 2) Description of the Related Art

[0004] Competition ice skate blades are manufactured from alloy steelmaterials that are very hard and in some cases, their material'scomposition is held as proprietary information. In any event, the bladesare much harder than typical steel products due to the requirement thatthey maintain their edge during rough use.

[0005]FIG. 7 illustrates a relevant portion of a skate blade 700,including two blade sides 710 connected to a bottom blade surface 720 attwo blade edges 730. The bottom blade surface 720 is the surface that isin constant contact with the ice. Typically, the blade surface 720 mayhave a width of approximately 1 mm.

[0006] Current technology for preparing the blade 700 for skatingemploys a series of sharpening techniques whereby the blades 700 areclamped in a fixture with the blades 700 in an “up” position. Aconventional coarse/fine knife-sharpening stone is stroked along thelength of the blade 700 (starting with the coarse side of the stone)several times to grind the blade edges 730 to be sharp (i.e., “squaredoff” as opposed to “rounded off”), and to add a knife-edge to eachintersection point of the blade 700 where the blade side 710 meets theblade surface 720. This process is then repeated with the fine stone,minimizing the surface roughness of the blade 700. The blade sides 710are then rubbed with a small fine stone which removes any burr that isleft from sharpening the blade edges 730.

[0007] A “burr” is a very small jagged shard left along the blade edges730 resulting from sharpening the blade surface 720, whereby metal coldflows and protrudes perpendicular to the blade side 710. Using a smallfine stone on the blade sides 710 to remove the burr, as describedabove, will sometimes cause the burr to bend ninety degrees so that itis now perpendicular to the blade surface 720. This is referred to as an“over-burr” and is well known to one skilled in the art of skate bladesharpening. Repeating the fine sharpening step on the blade surface 720will reduce the size of the over-burr and force it, once again, to beperpendicular to the blade side 710. It is important to note that it maybe necessary to perform several iterations of the sharpening and/ordeburring process to achieve the desired blade edge 730, depending onthe condition of the skate blade 700 and the size of the burr. The blade700 is considered to be sharpened when the final deburring step has beenperformed and the blade edges 730 are sharp to touch. This process isnot an “exact science” and may differ from skater to skater depending onpersonal preference.

[0008] The type of sharpening process described above is what typicallyhas been used up to now for preparing competition skate blades 700 foruse. This prior method hereafter will be referred to herein as“sharpening.” At best, sharpening generates a semi-smooth skate bladesurface 720 whose edge is perpendicular to the blade sides 710 wherethey meet. In addition, sharpening also is sufficient at generating therequired sharp blade edge 730 necessary for maintaining traction inturns. However, the prior art sharpening process does not provide anybenefits to improve glide of the skate, and in fact has been shown tohave limitations due to high friction coefficients.

[0009] Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide an improvedmethod of preparing skate blades for use. It would also be advantageousto provide such a method that improves the glide of a skate. It wouldfurther be advantageous to provide an improved device for preparingskate blades for use. Other and further objects and advantages willappear hereinafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention comprises a portable, hand-held skate bladepolishing device and an associated method of polishing a skate blade.

[0011] In one aspect of the invention, a device for preparing a skateblade for use comprises a polishing surface for polishing a bottom bladesurface of the skate blade, a pair of blade guides having an openingtherebetween for supporting the skate blade while the bottom of theskate blade is being polished by the polishing surface, and a frame forholding the polishing surface and the blade guides.

[0012] In another aspect of the invention, a method of preparing a skateblade for use comprises providing a skate blade polishing device havinga polishing surface for polishing the bottom blade surface of the skateblade and blade guides having an opening therebetween for supporting theskate blade, applying a polishing compound to the polishing surface,placing the skate blade in an opening of the blade guides such that thebottom blade surface of the skate blade contacts the polishing surface,and while applying a downward force to press the skate blade against thepolishing surface, sliding the skate blade against the polishing surfaceuntil the bottom skate surface of the skate blade obtains a desiredpolished state.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013]FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a skate blade polishingdevice;

[0014]FIG. 2 shows the skate blade polishing device of FIG. 1 in adisassembled state;

[0015]FIG. 3 illustrates a polishing surface of the skate bladepolishing device of FIG. 1 being mounted to a frame;

[0016]FIG. 4 illustrates an initial set up of the skate blade polishingdevice of FIG. 1;

[0017]FIG. 5 illustrates access ports in the skate blade polishingdevice of FIG. 1;

[0018]FIG. 6 illustrates a method of using the skate blade polishingdevice of FIG. 1 to polish an edge of a skate blade;

[0019]FIG. 7 illustrates relevant portions of a skate blade.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] A preferred embodiment of a portable, hand-held skate bladepolishing device 100 is shown in FIG. 1. The skate blade polishingdevice 100 is beneficially a personal tool, for use by individualskaters for polishing the blades of their ice skates to provide superiorperformance, as demonstrated by results achieved in the glide tests, asdiscussed in more detail below.

[0021]FIG. 2 shows the skate blade polishing device 100 in adisassembled state, to more easily observe and understand the majorcomponents thereof. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the skate bladepolishing device 100 includes a frame, or body, 210, a polishing surface220, a pair of blade guides 230, and set screws 250.

[0022] The frame 210 and functions as a rigid supporting structure forthe other necessary components. The frame 210 is preferably aluminum andbeneficially is fabricated to fit naturally to one's hand. Thisfacilitates the ease by which an individual may use the skate bladepolishing device 100 to prepare a skate for use.

[0023] The polishing surface 220 is a material against which a skateblade may be polished to generate a mirrored surface, as discussed inmore detail below. The polishing surface 220 can be made of any materialknown in the art suitable for polishing metals and glass materials. Someuseable materials would be optical polishing pitch, felt, diamondpolishing pads, among other materials. A preferred material is amaterial known generically as “pelling,” or polishing cloth, which is afelt woven material with a polyurethane impregnation. The thickness ofpolishing cloth ranges from 0.020″ to 0.250″. In the preferredembodiment, a polishing cloth having a thickness of approximately 0.030″is used. Beneficially, the polishing cloth has an adhesive backing bywhich it may be attached to the frame 210 so that it does not slip fromits position during polishing.

[0024] The blade glides 230 function to hold the skate bladeperpendicular to the polishing surface 220 and serve as a set of“tracks” to guide the skate blade polishing device 100 along a skateblade, much like those of a rail-road. The blade guides 230 aremanufactured of a low-friction material. Preferably, the blade guides230 are made of a composite material called Phenolic. The blade guides230 are adjustable and held in place to the frame 210 by mounting screws240. The size of the opening between the blade guides 230 is set by oneor more (e.g., six) set screws 250 which allow the skate blade polishingdevice 100 to accommodate any size skate blade in the space or openingformed between the blade guides 230. It is necessary for the bladeguides 230 to allow the skate blade polishing device 100 free motionalong the length of the blade, but deliver enough support that the skateblade polishing device 100 does not “rock” side to side opposite thelength of the blade. Beneficially, the blade guides 230 include one ormore matching pairs of notches 235, preferably semicircular in shape,whose function will be described in more detail below.

[0025] The set screws 250 are used to adjust the contact between theblade guides 230 and a skate blade, as discussed in more detail below.In the preferred embodiment, a set of six small set screws 250 areemployed.

[0026]FIG. 3 illustrates the polishing surface 220 being mounted to theframe 210.

[0027]FIG. 4 illustrates the initial set up of the skate blade polishingdevice 100. Initially, a skate blade, such as the blade 700 in FIG. 7,is placed in the space or opening formed between the blade guides 230 sothat the skate blade 700 seats on the polishing surface 220. Themounting screws 240 that hold the blade guides 230 firmly to the frame210 are loosened, and the set screws 250 protruding out of the side ofthe frame 210 are adjusted so the blade guides 230 are moved inward toproduce a close contact between the blade guides 230 and the skate blade700. However, the blade guides 230 should not be tightened so much as toprevent the skate blade 700 from sliding freely along its length. Whenthe blade guides 230 are set to the correct spacing, the mounting screws240 should be tightened to hold the blade guides 230 in place. Oncetight, the blade 700 should again be checked for proper fit and shouldslide freely along the length of the skate blade polishing device 100.

[0028] To use the skate blade polishing device 100, a small amount ofpolishing compound must be placed into the access ports 410 (shown inFIGS. 4 and 5) formed and provided by the semicircular notches 235 inthe blade guides 230. Beneficially, the polishing compound may be apetroleum-based paste including, preferably, 3-5 micron diamondparticles. The access ports 410 allow the polishing compound to beplaced directly onto the polishing surface 220.

[0029] In addition, an amount (preferably, about six drops) of alubricant (e.g., lapping oil) should be dropped into the access ports410. Beneficially, the lubricant may be a petroleum-based diamondpolishing lubricant, for example, LAP5-LUDP-5.0-0003, Type OS, sold byLapmaster. The skate blade 700 is then slipped into the space betweenthe two blade guides 230 and recessed to the bottom where the polishingsurface 220 is located. Beneficially, at this point the skate blade 700has already been sharpened using a prior art sharpening process, but hasnot yet received the final deburring step as mentioned earlier in thespecification.

[0030] Once positioned, the skate blade polishing device 100 is strokedback and forth (as illustrated in FIG. 6) along the full length of theskate blade 700 very vigorously, at an optimum rate of 6 to 8 completestrokes per 5 seconds of time, one complete stroke being up and back.Moderate pressure should be applied to create the required frictionnecessary to generate a polished finish for the blade surface 720. Apressure of 10 to 15 pounds of downward force is usually sufficient.This action should continue non-stop, preferably for a minimum of thirtystrokes, at which point the blade surface 720 can be wiped clean with asolvent and inspected. The blade 700 is considered finished when theuser is happy with the level of reflectivity that he or she desires fortheir application. Typically, after thirty to seventy strokes ofpolishing, the blade surface 720 is polished to a sufficient level tosee one's reflection therein. Once surface reflectivity is present, theblade surface 720 can be deburred as previously described.

[0031] The above-described polishing process using the skate bladepolishing device provides a polished skate blade with improved glidecharacteristics compared with skate blades which are only sharpenedusing the prior art sharpening process. Tests performed by the inventorrevealed that skate blades which have been polished using theabove-described skate blade polishing device and associated polishingprocess produced a 10% to 14% improvement in glide over blades preparedfor use only using the prior art sharpening process. In the world ofcompetition speed skating, where the lapsed time between the fastest andslowest contestant is defined by hundredths of a second, this kind ofimprovement in glide is very significant.

[0032] While preferred embodiments are disclosed herein, many variationsare possible which remain within the concept and scope of the invention.Such variations would become clear to one of ordinary skill in the artafter inspection of the specification, drawings and claims herein. Theinvention therefore is not to be restricted except within the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for preparing a skate blade for use,comprising: a polishing surface for polishing a bottom blade surface ofthe skate blade; a pair of blade guides having an opening therebetweenfor supporting the skate blade while the bottom blade surface of theskate blade is being polished by the polishing surface; and a frame forholding the polishing surface and the blade guides.
 2. The device ofclaim 1, further comprising at least one set screw for adjusting a widthof the opening of the blade guides.
 3. The device of claim 1, whereinthe pair of blade guides define at least one access port for applying apolishing compound onto the polishing surface.
 4. The device of claim 1,wherein the blade guides comprise a phenolic material.
 5. The device ofclaim 1, wherein the polishing surface comprises a felt woven materialwith a polyurethane impregnation.
 6. A method of preparing a skate bladefor use, comprising: providing a skate blade polishing device having apolishing surface for polishing a bottom blade surface of the skateblade, and blade guides having an opening therebetween for supportingthe skate blade; applying a polishing compound to the polishing surface;placing the skate blade in an opening of the blade guides such that thebottom blade surface of the skate blade contacts the polishing surface;and while applying a downward force to press the bottom blade surface ofthe skate blade against the polishing surface, sliding the skate bladeagainst the polishing surface until the bottom blade surface of theskate blade obtains a desired polished state.
 7. The method of claim 6,further comprising applying a quantity of a lubricant to the polishingsurface prior to sliding the skate blade against the polishing surface.8. The method of claim 6, wherein sliding the skate blade against thepolishing surface comprises sliding the skate blade back and forth alongthe polishing surface
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein a rate ofsliding the skate blade against the polishing surface is 6 to 8 completestrokes per 5 seconds of time, one complete stroke being a slide up andback.
 10. The method of claim 6, further including adjusting a width ofthe opening of the blade guides wherein the skate blade is placed.